by Sarah Olson
The next morning I got up and dressed. This time I laced up the green dress over my training outfit to cover it up until I got to the training grounds in the camp. I slid both of the daggers into my boots and walked outside greeting the fall air. The village was as quiet as usual, but when I reached the camp to find Charlotte, I saw that many soldiers were already up and running drills. I spotted Charlotte coming towards me with two swords.
“Ready?” she asked, handing me one.
I immediately caught more attention than intended to when I took one from her.
“This way,” Charlotte said.
She led me to a fenced in area where duels and sword training were held. As we opened the gate and stepped in, I noticed many of the soldiers had stopped what they were doing and watched us.
“They just want to see what you can do,” Charlotte said with a smile.
I nodded. Keeping my eyes down, I unlaced the dress and hung it on the fence. I took a deep breath and readied myself. As we drew more onlookers, I directed all my focus to Charlotte and lifted the sword ready to strike. Charlotte did the same.
“I’ll count down!” Mitchell’s voice rang out. “Three, two, one, GO!”
Charlotte struck immediately. I stumbled back as my sword took her hard blow. She swung again and I blocked. It went on like this for a few minutes. I had not had the courage to strike at her yet. When I did, Charlotte was ready and blocked hard following it through with a low blow I was just able to get my sword in front of, almost losing my balance. In the corner of my eye, I spotted Raphael and knew he had come to see if his teaching had paid off. Charlotte came running from my right far too quickly for me to block her with the heavy sword. As soon as the two came into contact, mine went flying from my hands—but knowing Raphael and others were watching me, my mind worked quicker than I had ever thought possible. I somersaulted out of Charlotte’s way pulling the daggers from my boots in one swift movement and jumped up to meet her sword. Charlotte’s face was full of surprise when she realized I was not done. Using both hands, I blocked her sword with my right and swung around her holding my left dagger to her throat. Charlotte was out of moves and dropped her sword in surrender.
Cheers filled the air and when I released Charlotte, she stared at me in complete and utter surprise. “How in the world?” she gasped. Her eyes would not leave my new daggers. “I didn’t teach . . . Who . . . Who taught . . .” she shook her head, and smiled, “Whoa!”
“Well done,” came James’ voice from the gate. “I must say I’m very impressed.”
I could not hide the triumph that curled my lips into a smile. I wondered if this was how my mother felt whenever she won a duel.
“I didn’t teach her that,” Charlotte stammered. “Mitchell?”
“Don’t look at me,” Mitchell said, putting his hands up.
“I taught her,” Raphael said, taking a step toward the fence.
“I didn’t know you had two trainers,” James said, raising an eyebrow. “Either way, Raphael, thank you for making some use out of our princess. Layla, please come with me, I’d like to have a word with you.”
I followed him silently through the crowd that had gathered. It seemed to me I had somehow drawn more people than were usually up in the morning. We passed by Davorin who was standing by a tent.
“Nice job, Princess,” he said with a smile.
I smiled back and kept walking.
“You have become more skilled than I thought you could,” James said, leading the way into the command tent. “However, since you have just beaten Charlotte, who was the only person you asked to train you, I think it is time for me to step in and overlook the rest of your training. This is only to make sure you are fairly up to the standards I expect from most of my soldiers.”
“What?” I exclaimed.
It was not actually the way I had meant for it to come out, but it did not matter because James would have probably smirked at any response I gave him.
“What are you afraid of?” he asked, crossing his arms.
I did not answer.
“I’ll let you have the rest of the week off since Charlotte’s wedding is this weekend,” he said, “but be ready at the stables next week, three hours after sunrise.”
“Where will we be going?” I asked, far too tired, shocked, and upset to argue.
“You’ll see.”
Chapter 32
AS THE DAY of Charlotte and Mitchell’s wedding arrived, I ran through the village with Mrs. Livingston to help finish all the preparations. Fall had finally settled over the land turning the forest into a sea of reds and oranges. It was the perfect setting for a wedding.
“I’m so nervous!” Charlotte exclaimed as Betsy went to her room to get the wedding dress she had made for her.
“Just relax!” I said, giving her a hug. “Everything will be just perfect!”
“Especially when you wear this,” Betsy said, bringing out the dress. She held up the white satin dress for us to see.
It was simple with a modest neckline that slightly dipped in the middle. The bodice had an overlay of fine lace that also made up the long sleeves. The skirt was not as large as a ball gowns, but flowed nicely around Charlotte when she tried it on.
The wedding was kept small. Charlotte and Mitchell wanted more to just get married than have a large wedding so they kept the list of guests to very close friends and immediate family. The Livingston family was saddened there was no way for Tristan to come but I comforted Charlotte by telling her Tristan would be home when everything was over. I did not mention we needed to win a war first.
On the day of the joyous celebration, I helped her get ready. In her gown, make-up and long black hair, Charlotte looked like an angel; she was truly beautiful. The Livingston’s had a gazebo built where Mitchell had proposed for the two to marry. The leaves on the trees behind it seemed to flicker like fire as the setting sun’s rays touched them.
The guests arrived around sunset and stood encircling the gazebo leaving a space open to create the aisle Charlotte would walk down. I stood up front with Charlotte’s family and held Aria who gawked at all the guests and decorations. Behind the guests sat a few musicians playing music for the ceremony. They began a waltz and James and Mitchell made their way to the gazebo. Mitchell looked dashing and it was hard not to admit how handsome James looked.
As the music began to crescendo, we watched Sir Nicholas lead his daughter down the aisle. Her face was pink and a wide smile filled it. I had never seen her look so happy. I glanced over at Mitchell and saw the pure love radiating in his eyes as he took in the sight of his bride. I felt a pang of jealousy towards Charlotte, not because of Mitchell, but because of the way he loved her. They had the true love I thought I had with Richard. I longed for someone to look at me in that way.
As they repeated their vows to each other, I heard Mrs. Livingston sniffling beside me as she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. But there was not a tear in Charlotte’s eyes as she said I do and slid the gold band onto Mitchell’s finger. Instead, her eyes sparkled like the sun and never left Mitchell’s. James handed Mitchell a silver chalice filled with wine. Mitchell drank from it and then handed it to Charlotte who did the same.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” James said as he took the chalice from Charlotte.
Mitchell pulled Charlotte to him and gave her a long kiss as everyone clapped. This joyous occasion was the one thing we all needed to lift our spirits and erase our anxiousness. It gave me the sense of hope that despite everything, life could still be wonderful.
The celebration continued at the Livingston’s house where the newlyweds opened up gifts. The guests watched as they ate from the numerous dishes of food set up on the tables. Aria sat right next to Mitchell watching him unwrap the presents and trying to get her hands on any that came too close to her.
“I think everything turned out wonderful,” I said to Mrs. Livingston.
“Indeed it has,” she replied. “Thank you f
or all your help.”
“It was nothing,” I said. “I’m just glad to see Charlotte happy.”
“We all are,” she said. “It’s been so hard for her—and us––with not seeing Tristan in years. Especially when all the letters we get from him aren’t detailed in his personal life.”
“I can’t even imagine,” I replied. “But he will be home soon.”
Mrs. Livingston’s eyes became glassy, but she held in the tears. “I hope so.”
As I stood there and watched everyone celebrate this joyous occasion, my thoughts were with Tristan. He was missing his sister’s wedding. I really wanted to see him again but knew that could not be done without winning the war. Never in my life until that very moment, had I felt more determined to take back Asteria—even if it meant training with James.
Chapter 33
WHEN I WOKE that next morning, I yanked on my clothes and marched out to the stables. James was already there leaning against the opened door with his fire-eyed wolf. Without a greeting, he told me to saddle up Dusk.
We rode deep into the forest and stopped at a tight cluster of trees that choked out the sunlight. James dismounted and led his horse into the cluster and gestured that I follow. He tied both horses to a tree and then continued on foot until we reached a crawl space in the base of the mountain. The wolf went first and then James and I crawled in after. The cave immediately opened up giving us room to stand. Sunlight seeped into it through a hole in the mountain high above. James walked to the end of the cave with his pet and climbed up onto some stones and into another crawl space that was a bit longer than the other.
“Where are we going?” I asked, a nervous tinge running through my spine.
“You’ll see,” he replied, his voice echoing in the darkness.
I took a deep breath and followed him through, trying not to think of the mountain pressing in around me. The ground was cold under my hands and knees as I crawled through the cavity. I tried to keep from panicking, as I could no longer see in the darkness. The comforting sound of trickling water reached me and then we were standing again in a dimly lit tunnel that led to the mouth of the cave.
I looked down into the small stream running through the cave and gasped—it was glittering.
“I’ve never seen anything like it!” I exclaimed as I dipped my hand in the water and watched it sparkle down my palm. “How is it possible?”
“I don’t know,” James said.
I stared into the water and then looked up at the wall of the cave, watching the strange reflections of light the stream let off.
“Come on,” he said, leading the way out.
It was difficult to pull myself from the beautiful stream but I reluctantly followed. We exited the cave into a clearing completely enclosed by the mountains. The stream in the cave was coming from a small milky blue lake. A waterfall cascaded into it from so high up in the mountains I could not see where it began. Massive ancient looking trees surrounded the lake with large branches covered in leaves and moss.
“This is incredible!” I exclaimed.
“I’ve come to calling it Midnight Dell because of the way the water glows at night. This is where we will train and where you are to go if there is ever an attack on the village,” he said.
“How did you find this place?” I asked.
“Hunting. Actually, Duke found it.”
“Duke?”
“The wolf,” James said, gesturing to his pet. “We were hunting some deer along the base of the mountains and Duke saw a rabbit. He went after it and chased it into here.”
“Have you ever shown it to anyone else?” I asked.
“No,” he said, briskly. “Now, let’s get started.”
The training James had for me was more for survival than fighting. He had me climbing trees, sparring, and rock climbing.
“I’m sure Charlotte told you balance is key,” he said, “but so is using the resources you have to aid in battle. You don’t know where you will be whenever you are faced with an enemy.”
It made sense and as the days passed, I was swifter and much surer of all my movements. Even though James would never admit I was getting better, I could tell by the way he nodded his head that I was improving greatly.
As the weeks passed, the bitter cold of winter began to set in. When I told Betsy my training outfit was not keeping me warm, she said she had been working on another.
One morning during training, the snow began to fall. The wind blew the snow flurries into my eyes as we rode through the forest to Midnight Dell.
“Let’s head back,” James said, turning his horse around.
“I thought you said I was supposed to learn to fight in all different types of weather,” I said, even though I was grateful to go back.
“It is,” James said, “but I don’t know how much it is going to snow. I would rather not be snowed in the cave. We’ll come back when the storm passes.”
“Okay,” I said. “So no training for today?”
“You can have the day off,” James said. “I’ll let you know when we’ll start up again.”
We rode in silence back to the village, as the snow got thicker—a white sheet of it already sticking to the ground. After we put the horses away, we parted ways and I found Betsy and Aria in the kitchen eating breakfast.
The snowfall continued throughout the day and I spent most of it with Aria. She was a little more than a year old now and had already learned to walk fairly well. I had bundled her up in a coat and would take her outside whenever the winds calmed so she could play in the snow. Even though she was cold, she loved it.
After the sun had set and the snow had stopped, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” I said, placing Aria on the floor by the fire. I wrapped a warm blanket around her as the door opened and James came in.
“I hope I’m not intruding,” he said.
“You aren’t,” I said, surprised to see him. “Are we training again tomorrow?”
“Yes and the village council has called a meeting and they have asked that you attend,” James said.
“Now?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“I’ll get my coat.”
Chapter 34
WE TRUDGED THROUGH the snow to the barn where we mounted our horses and headed to the designated meeting place at the center of the villages. The cabin looked welcoming with the orange glow of the fire radiating through its windows. I entered to find the room filled with village leaders and rebel officers. They all sat and stood around a large table lit with candles. A fire burned in the back of the room greeting us with warmth.
“I’m glad you could make it,” one of the village leaders said to me, as I sat down.
I had forgotten most of their names.
Sir Nicholas stood up to begin. He was the leader of the village I was from and elected head of the council. Since he was Charlotte’s father, he had known me for years and I knew I could always trust him.
“Welcome friends,” he said. “As you all know we have just recently reached a peak in our recruiting for our rebellion and our number of soldiers has grown to six thousand.”
A murmur filled the room.
“Gentlemen, please,” Sir Nicholas said. “Our princess has also been training to help lead our battle under General Hamilton. It is time for us to contemplate the possibility of declaring war on King Luther within the next year.”
“Do you really think six thousand can hold against the twenty thousand Luther has?” a man with a scruffy black beard demanded from the corner of the room.
“No, Peter,” Sir Nicholas said to him. “It is not enough, even when we add in the three thousand allies we have in Asteria.”
“Then what do you propose we do?” Peter asked.
“We need to get King Darius to lend us some of his troops,” Sir Nicholas finished.
The room burst into shouts as the leaders began to argue among themselves.
“King Darius has refused aid before!�
�
“What makes you think he will help now?”
“His treaty means more to him than the lives of our people!”
“GENTLEMEN!” James barked. “This is not up for debate! We know King Darius will not aid us unless Luther breaks the treaty. We must get Luther to break it!”
“How would you get him to break it?” Mitchell asked.
“I don’t know,” James admitted.
“Well that’s not helpful,” Peter snapped.
“Peter, you were invited because of your rank in the army,” Sir Nicholas said. “Do not make me dismiss you.”
Peter glared at James but kept silent.
“Excuse me,” I said drawing everyone’s attention. “What exactly does the treaty say and why won’t King Darius help us?” It seemed strange to me that the king who let me live in his castle would refuse help.
“At the time of Luther’s attack on your family,” Sir Nicholas said, “Malan was being ravaged by disease. They lost many lives and most of their men were not in any state to fight. They were also mourning the loss of their queen who had succumbed to the disease. By the time Luther took the throne, his army was weak. The Asterian Army had put up a great fight. Luther knew King Darius was an ally of your parents and took the advantage of the disease to write up a treaty the king could not refuse.
“The treaty states that if King Darius’s men cross the Glacier River or vice versa with malicious intent, it would be cause enough to declare war—but only if that happens. King Darius agreed when he had him add the clause that the refugees that fled from Asteria could live in Malan.”
“I don’t understand,” I said. “Why wouldn’t he just take over Malan too?”
“The armies were too evenly matched and both were in bad shape,” Sir Nicholas said. “They would tear the kingdoms apart.”
“So King Darius signed the treaty to protect his people,” I concluded.
“Yes,” James said. “And to protect us.”
“What about one of the other kingdoms nearby? Can they help us?”
